Taco Casserole

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F.

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2. Brown the beef and onion in a large pan for 8 minutes, breaking it up. Drain off excess fat.

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3. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and salt and cook 1 minute.

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4. Add the water and simmer 5 minutes until it has mostly reduced.

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5. Stir in the beans, sweetcorn and salsa and simmer 3 minutes.

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6. Spread half the chips over the base of a 23 x 33 cm dish. Top with half the beef mixture and a third of the cheese.

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7. Repeat with the remaining chips and beef and scatter the rest of the cheese over the top.

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8. Bake 20 minutes, until bubbling and the cheese is browned in patches.

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9. Rest 5 minutes and top with soured cream, tomato, lettuce, jalapeños and coriander.

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Chef’s Tips

• Crush the chips only lightly. Bigger pieces stay crisp on top.
• Simmer the beef until the water has reduced or the casserole turns soggy.
• Add the cold toppings after baking, not before.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Guacamole
• Mexican rice
• A cold beer

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days. The chips soften, but it reheats well at 180°C for 15 minutes. Freeze the beef mixture, not the assembled casserole, for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.